December 11, 2007

CNN/YouTube Debate A Political Ambush Says Former U.S. Naval Officer Who Was There--An Interview with Cy Huerter

EDITOR'S NOTE: Former Naval officer, retired Lieutenant Commander Cy Huerter tells a disturbing story about CNN's November 28th YouTube Republican presidential candidates debate. Huerter goes on to address the place of homosexuals in the military and gives his opinion on "don't ask, don't tell."

BIOGRAPHY -- CY HUERTER

Cy Huerter is a business and property developer, President of Lake County Indiana Right to Life and Chairman of the Highland, Indiana Republican Central Committee. His Pro-life support predates the many pro-death government decrees since 1973. Huerter is a retired Naval Officer, has served on the Board of Directors of Lake Area United Way and is a member of Our Lady of Grace church and the Knights of Columbus in Highland, Indiana.

Huerter's career has included employment and contracting with major corporations and his government service ranges from a Polygraph examiner with the Bureau of Identification, State of Illinois, to a Navy Combat Aircrew Tactical Coordinator/Mission Commander.

Brenda (Billick), Cy's bride of 36 years, teaches English at Chicago Vocational Career Academy. Their six adult children and three grandchildren are the main reason for the Huerter family’s dedication to a family friendly culture.

Cy Huerter is honored to be able to apply his experience and talents to bring improvements to society. He believes that we all contribute to the good, bad or ugly parts of the legacies we leave for our region, nation and global communities. He encourages his associates to respect the many sacrifices of those who have gone before us and to use their time, talents and treasures to help make our present and future even better.

CY HUERTER -- "In His Own Words"

Q. You recently attended the controversial GOP presidential debate sponsored by CNN and YouTube. CNN invited blogger Gordon Bloyer who asked you along as his guest and cameraman. The debate has created a firestorm of controversy regarding whether CNN advanced an anti-Republican agenda during the evening's events. But, first, can you share with RFFM.org's readers some of your experiences and thoughts when you arrived at the place YouTube questioners gathered before the debate?

A. The YouTube agenda for Wed. Nov 28th in St. Petersburg, Florida, included breakfast with the YouTube staff and the 13 or so invited bloggers and their guests. As far as we could tell, Kerr was the only non-blogger invited and present. Somehow, he did get his "question" submitted though. During breakfast, we all introduced ourselves and the YouTube staff reviewed the schedule for the day. After breakfast, we were escorted by the YouTube staff to the CNN bus, introduced to Anderson Cooper and some of the other CNN staffers gave the bloggers, (not us guests) a tour of the CNN bus, then gave us a tour backstage of the debate area and the rest of the facilities that they provided for us to use for the rest of the day. We were then encouraged to proceed with our own agenda for the rest of the day. We were also invited for dinner in the press area prior to the debate, then escorted to our assigned seating.

Q. Did anything strike you as strange regarding the logistics and those who were invited to the event?

A. The only thing that appeared to be strange or out of place was Kerr. He didn't fit in from the get go.

Q. Do you feel this was an ambush set up by CNN meant to embarrass the Republican presidential candidates?

A. In retrospect, considering the questions presented from the bloggers, compared to the wide range of significant questions CNN could have chosen, it was no doubt set up to be an ambush, but there were enough Patriotic bloggers and level-headed observers, that the ambush was sprung on CNN. They were nailed on Fox News just after the debate by Bill Bennett, one of the guest commentators, who said that he was receiving a bunch of e-mails stating that Kerr was part of the Clinton campaign.

Q. The biggest controversy surrounded a Clinton operative named Keith Kerr, who is a former U.S. Army Brigadier General. I'm not going to advance Kerr's agenda by repeating his question here, but before the debate began, was it obvious something was amiss?

A. First of all, Kerr apparently never was an Army Brigadier General. At best, he made Colonel in the National Guard. Kerr came across as a phoney from the start.

Q. Since the debate, it was learned there were other Democratic operatives who were allowed to question the Republican panel. Obviously, it cannot be proven one way or another whether CNN had an agenda or was simply sloppy to the Nth degree in its planning of the event. What do you think would have happened if Fox News would have allowed Republican operatives to question the Democratic presidential hopefuls?

A. If Fox pulled a stunt like this, they would be crucified.

Q. Overall, has the reaction by the dominant media addressed the situation adequately in your opinion?

A. No. The dominant media supports the Democrats and other liberals. They do not call them to proper accounting.

Q. You are a veteran of the armed forces, with a long and distinguished career of service to our country. Let's talk about the issue of homosexuals in the military which was addressed by "General" Kerr, an "openly homosexual" man. What are your thoughts about the restrictions on homosexuals serving in the U.S. military?

A. Any active homosexual should be prosecuted, just like any promiscuous heterosexual has been and will be.

Q. In the early 1990's, then-President Bill Clinton came up with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy which is now implemented within the U.S. armed forces. Can you talk about "don't ask, don't tell." Has it worked and, if not, why?

A. I retired from the Navy rather than serve under the Clinton "DADT" policy. At least, they did not protect active homosexuals with this policy.

Q. If you had the power, would you put a clear restriction on preventing homosexuals from joining America's armed forces?

A. The problem with homosexuals is that they tend to prey on others. When they are in a superior rank, enlisted or officer, they will invariably seduce and even rape junior enlisteds and officers.

Q. To summarize, what did you come away with from your experience while attending the CNN/YouTube debate? Did it serve our nation?

A. Yes, the debate served our nation very well because it showed us just how much work there is for Patriots to do in the political arena.